Please, please excuse the zombie expressions and gnarly hair in this post. I couldn't bother to get dolled up for these photos.

A while back, one of my readers (thanks Elaine!) emailed me a link about determining one's ideal skirt length. The formula seems complicated, but the concept is simple:the most visually appealing skirt length shows 50% skirt and 50% leg.I will now walk through the "formula" ...

This will be the cover of my first book, titled "How to Look 10 Years Old."

Formula to find your ideal skirt length:

Step 1. Measure from your hipbone (that protruding bone) to the middle of your kneecap. This is A. For me, A = 17 inches.

Step 2. Measure from the middle of your kneecap to the middle of your anklebone. This is B. For me, B = 13 inches.

Step 4.Divide the number from Step 3 by 2. For me, this is 4 / 2 = 2 inches. 2 inches is my "Magic Number."

Now, if you have short calves (A is greater than B), your ideal skirt length should be kneecap minus Magic Number. Per this formula, my ideal skirt length is 2 inches above the knee.

If you have long calves (A is less than B), your ideal skirt length should be kneecap plus Magic Number.

Do I personally follow this formula? Loosely, maybe. There are some "variables" that the formula does not factor in, for example:

- Heels. 3 inch heels elongate the lower leg visually by at least 2 inches.
- High-waisted skirts versus low-waisted skirts. The formula has you measure beginning at your hipbone, assuming that is where the skirt will be slung.

To mitigate these variables, I wore flats in all three photos and wore ninja black to distract from the waist of the skirt. I do agree that above the knee looks best on me, but knee-length should also be okay with heels. A brief look into my skirt history...

Above the knee

(17.5" H&M on left, 14" H&M on right)

At the knee

(20" Theory on left, 21" Ann Taylor Petites on right)

Hope this wordy post wasn't too boring. For those who actually did the "formula"... do you have short calves or long calves? Where do you prefer your skirt lengths to hit?

I feel you the skirt looks great 2 inches above the knee for you. When measuring the proportions, was there any mention about longer body types or different builds? Usually petite people look better in mini dresses than really tall people, who look great in maxis. But I do see what you mean with the heels. It does look better right at the knee cap when wearing heels since they elongate the legs.

Interesting formula! I never thought about it so mathematically haha. Usually I stick to shorter lengths (1-2 inches above the knee) to maximize height and also because I want to avoid my calf area. If I go below the know, the hem hits at the calf and cuts me off at a very wide point.

Shoes also count, as you mentioned, the "x-factor". With shorter skirts, I wear flats to minimize potential skankiness and with at-the-knee skirts, I slip on heels.

I never thought there was a formula for an ideal skirt length. According to the formula, my ideal length is 1.5 inches above my knee but I prefer going shorter and it depends on the type of skirt. I like to go shorter for flared styles at right above the knee for office styles. Cool post!

i think the ones above the knees look best. being extremely short myself, wearing shorter skirts or shorts elongate my legs, and paired with heels or wedges make them look more lean and defined. the trick obviously is not to go to short though! great post!

I like the "at the knee" look best on you, but then the shorter lengths look nice too! And it is always nice to have a little bit of variety in skirt lengths for different heel heights and business vs. casual occasions.

Hmm I wear all lengths actually, though I usually go for at or above the knee as anything that hits near mid-calf just makes me stumpy. Skirt lengths is one of the only things that makes me enjoy being short since that means I can wear shorter lengths without looking skanky!

It not only has to do with the length of the leg, but the width as well. You do NOT want a skirt to hit at your calves or exactly at your knee. These tend to be wider parts of the leg and will automatically make you look shorter. While I prefer 1-2 inches above the middle of the knee, you really need to find the most slender part of the leg and make sure the skirt shows that part. It will elongate the look.

Great tutorial! Not too sure if I would follow this to strictly but I do love skirts that are just above the knee. You do look really young in the picture of you in shorts!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog!

I saw pictures of the kid stam and was instantly heartbroken that they don't have it anymore. I've been rethinking the stam and will look into either the "little stam" or the "cecilia". It is heavy in person.

Way to take the formula and make a great visual tutorial out of it! You illustrated it beautifully. Keeping these principles in mind helps with online shopping too, since we can't always assume a skirt or dress i going to look the same on us as the model!

oh i love your blog and your reviews and tips! :) So before I thought i was petite... but i guess NOT REALLY. haha because I'm 5'3" and like 95lbs... so KINDA? lol.. but thanks for all of your reviews, ya!

oh yeah! I have a question, i read that you have taken your first step of the CFA exam. is it hard? I think i'm taking it next year :( YIKES!!!

Hey Diane, I honestly am not so sure about the big calf muscles. I looked at some photos online, and agree with what a reader mentioned above - it's important to have a skirt (or shorts) end at a narrow part of your leg. If it ends at the wide part of your leg like the middle of the calf, then it may be unflattering. Sorry I am not much help!

Kellie - You definitely are petite ... 5'4" and below is fairly petite, and you're my weight plus 3+ inches taller .. wow! The first level of the CFA wasn't bad, but the second level is daunting to me. It will probably take me a year to get through the 7 books, so I postponed Level II until next year - it sucks that it's only once a year. Best of luck to you, though!

I most like the one 2 inches above your knee, you could probably also use one an inch or two longer than the longest skirt.My sewing teacher always say. A skirt should hit your leg at a point where the leg goes in. to make the legs look slim. I am petite, but have really solid legs, so I always go for mid-calf length or rarely just above the knees, since those are the only points where my legs curve in.Tania

Just stumbled across your blog...5'2" here. My A = 19"; B = 16", so I'm short-calved. I typically buy skirts to fall around the knee or just below (I almost always wear 2-3" heels though). My thinking had been that a) that length is work-appropriate and b) just below my knee cap is right before where my calf gets really muscular.

Last year when I started running a lot more, I decided I'd invest in some flats to throw in the mix so I wasn't risking issues with my leg muscles/knees/feet 5 days a week -- and with flats, I feel like I can justify wearing skirts just above the knee to work.

This is so confusing.I have 26" inseam you said you have 28" inseam, but I just measured my outseam and the results were exatly like urs. 13/17. are you sure ur measurment is right? I just don't get how somebody with 28" inseam can have the same leg length as a 26" inseam.or maybe ur iseam is 26". idk. it's no big deal, but I'm just curious.

I tend to think above the knee looks great on petite people :) you look great in at-the-knee too! My magic number is 3, I'd like to think I suck at measuring but in all honesty I have really short calves...My A = 18" and my B = 12". Yikes.

I have short calves so I prefer above the knee =]Although I am like you and I don't think I will follow the formula so strictly because your eyes are always the best "formula" (if that makes any sense) ;D

Your blog is so necessary, I thought the knee length looked best on you and I noticed how your demeanor/attitude shifted in different skirt lengths as well. To me the shorter skirt length made you look childish, in a way, if you want to look younger than you already are. The knee length skirt made you look sophisticated and the clothes looked better. Wear more dresses!

I loved this post! I have short calves -- 14 inches. My "magic" number is 2.25, but personally I like the look of my skirt hitting right in the middle of the knee. (And I thought that was the most flattering on you as well) I rarely wear a skirt without heels so I think that helps the overall look. Thanks for the post!

I'm late to the party here, but thank you for your wonderful post. I'm 5'3", almost 60 (yikes), and fashion-challenged. Your info and formula are a big help. I like both skirt lengths on you. The above-the-knee skirts look fun, and would be great for going out. The at-the-knee-length skirts make you look sophisticated and elegant. At my age, my length of choice for myself will be middle of the knee.

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This is a great post! I was searching for dress suits for an upcoming job interview and the skirts all seemed to look odd on me. Do the same rules apply for mini dresses? I think they are more forgiving when it comes to length.

Wow - an oldie but a goodie. I just came across this post through SewPetiteGal (I do read your blog, but this post escaped me!). I haven't done the formula yet as my measuring tape is back home, but I will! xo Ivche

Very helpful post, thank you! I've been trying to figure this out as I'm starting a new job and have been trying to find work appropriate clothing that also doesn't look frumpy. I find that skirts a few inches above the knee look best on me, and the formula says 2" is my ideal. Most work guidelines I've read online advise wearing knee-length skirts, but I don't think they take into account the fact that this doesn't really work with petite proportions. (For the record, my workplace has no guidelines on this and I work with other petite women who seem to favor skirts a few inches above the knee as well.)

Also, to clarify -- if the formula calls for 50% leg and 50% skirt, then the skirt will need to be higher above the knee if the skirt is high waisted, yes? For example, if my measurement from belly button to knee is 21, and my knee to ankle is 14, that would mean that I need to go 3.5 inches above the knee to keep the proportion correct.

I think above the knee is the most flattering, but at the knee looks really good too! Personally I think at the knee is just a touch more professional, so if that is a priority then definitely go for the slightly longer length.

But I think you look professional in a mini-skirt too, particularly that image of you with the black tights! I think some of that comes down to weight. I'm a curvy girl, so a mini-skirt emphasizes the size of my behind and shows how curvy my thighs are - I happen to think I look hot in a mini skirt, but it's definitely not a work appropriate look for me, even in tights, hah. But you look great in it!

I am very petite, at only 5ft. I believe in dressing modestly (only wear skirts), but still want to look stylish. I have really struggled with this issue. According to this, I should wear skirts about 2.5 inches above the knee. 2 inches below the knee is the shortest my convictions will allow me to go. I can see where your legs do look longer in the shortest skirt, but I really dont think the one 2 inches below the knee looks frumpy or anything. I still think it looks fine

Seems like the classic proportional rule that the shorter the skirt, the higher the heel and the converse that the longer the skirt the lower the heel. And it seemed to work.The calf skirt with flats looked nice, so the mini with heels.